Big Barrel Country Music Festival Canceled

The second-annual Big Barrel Country Music Festival has been canceled. The June 24-26 country music festival in Dover, Del., featured Sam Hunt, Eric Church and Brad Paisley as headliners. Full refunds will be given to those who’ve already purchased tickets.

The News Journal spoke to representatives from Red Frog, but no one was willing to offer an explanation. The owner of the venue was as surprised as fans when he learned the news. He said he knew as much as media at this time. A saturation of country music in the area is one possible reason for Big Barrel’s cancelation — Kenny Chesney’s weekend concert in Philadelphia could be pulling fans away, as well as several other country festivals in June, including Taste of Country Music Festival in Hunter, N.Y.

Two high-profile festivals were canceled in 2015. Thunder on the Mountain in Arkansas was scrapped just weeks before the show. The 2015 NiFi Festival at the Kentucky Speedway was also called off. Both included a long list of A-list performers as headliners. Neither festival has regrouped for 2016.

Church is scheduled to perform at multiple festivals in 2016, including WE Fest in Detroit Lakes, Minn. and Stagecoach Festival in Indio, Calif. Paisley will play the Houston Rodeo and Country Jam in Grand Junction, Colo. this summer.